Florida's minimum wage will rise to $13 an hour starting Monday, continuing the gradual increase mandated by a 2020 constitutional amendment, which aims to reach a $15 minimum wage by 2026. 

The amendment, led by Orlando lawyer John Morgan, set annual wage hikes beginning with $10 per hour in 2021. Tipped employees will see their wage increase to $9.98 an hour. After reaching $15 in 2026, future increases will be tied to inflation. The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour. News Service Florida

A recent survey highlights trends in homeowner and contractor familiarity with smart HVAC features. Smart thermostats are the most recognized devices among homeowners, but awareness diminishes regarding other smart products like filters, vents, and dampers. Despite high recognition of smart thermostats, adoption remains low, at around 17-20%. Factors such as government incentives, rising energy costs, and increased awareness have fueled interest, yet many consumers still prioritize other smart home devices.

Experts indicate that while the smart thermostat market has significant growth potential, adoption has been moderated by trends in new home construction and changing consumer spending habits. As technology advances and smart home systems become more integrated, the role of professional HVAC contractors is expected to expand, particularly regarding data privacy and the complexity of installations. Overall, the smart thermostat market is set for continued growth, providing opportunities for contractors to enhance energy efficiency for homeowners. Click here to read more.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), now two years old, has made significant strides in promoting decarbonization through incentives for high-efficiency and electric HVAC equipment, along with energy-saving home improvements. The act allocated $8.8 billion in direct-to-consumer rebates and extended tax credits for qualified HVAC products like heat pumps, insulation, and windows. While only a few states have rolled out these rebate programs, early IRS data shows that over 2.3 million tax returns claimed the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit in 2023, reflecting growing interest in energy-efficient upgrades.

Supporters of the IRA, like Michael Forrester from the Department of Energy, highlight its success, citing strong consumer interest and substantial tax credits, which averaged $882 per return. Critics, however, question whether the incentives are worth the cost and fear poor-quality installations could lead to dissatisfaction with technologies like heat pumps. Despite the challenges, advocates believe the IRA's long-term potential lies in electrification, renewable energy, and improved contractor standards to ensure energy-efficient products are installed properly for maximum benefit. Click here to read more.

Kelley Raymond is the Senior Director of Sustainability and Environmental Advocacy at Daikin. With a background in Political Science and Pre-Law from the University of West Florida, she transitioned from state policy work to the HVACR industry. Her career began with roles such as Director of Government Affairs for the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and a Senior Advisor position at the Office of Air and Radiation. Today, at Daikin, she aligns the company’s sustainability priorities with advocacy efforts, leveraging her expertise to address the industry's complex regulatory challenges.

Raymond finds her work in HVACR especially rewarding due to the collaborative and supportive environment within the industry. As a Navy veteran spouse, she has appreciated the understanding and encouragement from colleagues during challenging times. Among her career achievements, she takes pride in leading regulatory efforts, reform initiatives, and building the Daikin Sustainability and Innovation Center in Washington, D.C. She emphasizes the importance of actively engaging and retaining women in HVACR, believing that a diversity of voices is crucial for the industry’s success. For women considering a career in HVACR, she advises embracing challenges, working hard, and making the most of every opportunity. Click here to read more.

In January of 2021, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was signed into law. The CTA requires companies that meet the definition of a “reporting company” to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with the U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). If you own a business, you may be required to file the BOI for your business with FinCEN by January 1, 2025. To find out more about your reporting obligations, please visit our resource page here.

Following the recent hurricanes, various counties and cities in Florida are offering support for disaster recovery, including permitting assistance and waived fees for home repairs.

Sarasota County: Disaster Recovery Information

Manatee County: Waiving Permit Fees/Hurricane Recovery 2024

Hillsborough County: Emergency Permitting for Minor Repairs

Pinellas County: Storm Recovery Permitting

City of St. Pete: Waived Permitting Fees

City of Tampa: Pop-Up Permit Centers

Hernando County: Recovery Assistance

Pasco County: Pop-Up Building Permit Sites

Pasco County is reopening two pop-up building permit locations and waiving all county fees for home repair and building permit applications related to the storms.

For a full list of recovery resources, including damage repair assistance, visit: WTSP Hurricane Recovery Help Resources

Florida has experienced an estimated $3.95 billion in insurance claims due to three hurricanes in just three months, with numbers still climbing. The Office of Insurance Regulation revealed that Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on October 9 in Sarasota County, has resulted in 204,971 claims totaling approximately $2.48 billion—over 165,000 of which are for residential property damage.

Hurricane Helene, which struck the Gulf Coast on September 26, has generated 121,689 claims amounting to $1.3 billion, with about 30% of these claims already closed. Meanwhile, Hurricane Debby, which hit Florida's Big Bend region on August 5, prompted 21,000 claims totaling $131 million, with more than 75% closed. A significant number of Debby claims were settled without payment, while nearly 8,000 were closed with partial payments. Interestingly, claims related to Hurricane Milton are reported to be lower than those filed for Hurricane Ian during the same period last year. Click here to read more.

On October 24, 2023, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its final rule regarding the transition to low-GWP refrigerants in new refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump (RACHP) systems. The EPA initially faced industry backlash over the sell-through mandate of January 1, 2025 for certain HVACR systems; however, on December 20, 2023, the Agency revised the provision to address concerns raised by stakeholders.

The narrowly amended provision now allows one additional year, until January 1, 2026, “solely for the installation of new residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems using components manufactured or imported prior to January 1, 2025.” The Agency believes this provision will help alleviate worries about stranded inventory, especially in new residential construction projects.

According to EPA, “There is good cause for this rule to take effect without prior notice and comment. EPA is still accepting public comment for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register (at www.regulations.gov, Docket ID# EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0643). Unlike a direct final rule, EPA will not withdraw this interim final rule if it receives adverse comment; all comments will be addressed in a subsequent final rule.”

The rule in question addresses subsection (i) of the AIM Act, entitled “Technology Transitions,” which provides EPA with the authority to restrict the use of regulated HFCs in sectors or subsectors where they are used. This final rule sets a maximum GWP limit on the HFCs or HFC blends that can be used, and in a few subsectors, EPA has listed specific HFCs or HFC blends that are restricted.

Compliance dates and GWP limits vary based on the sector and subsector, but for residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems, the final rule now calls for a 700 GWP limit, starting January 1, 2026. For VRF systems, the compliance date was initially January 1, 2026; however, that date is being reconsidered, and EPA will address this issue in a separate notice and comment action.

For most new commercial refrigeration systems used in supermarkets and convenience stores, the rule mandates a 150 or 300 GWP limit, with compliance dates ranging from 2026 to 2028, depending on the size of the equipment.

For new RACHP systems, many in the industry were expecting the rule to include a sell-through period of at least a year for most types of equipment, so that distributors and contractors would not be left with inventory that could not be legally installed. Instead, EPA unexpectedly included a “date of install” requirement for some types of equipment, which would mean that complete, new, split-system air conditioners and heat pumps, for example, would have had to be installed no later than January 1, 2025.

“We did not expect the lack of a sell through-period for essentially any field-charged HFC systems,” said Chris Czarnecki, director of government relations and advocacy at ACCA. “This is because the rule did not provide any discrepancy between the date of installation and date of manufacture for systems charged in the field. Manufacturing was considered ‘complete’ once the system was charged and completely ready to be turned on by the rule's definition.”

Indeed, the rule divided almost all sectors into self-contained “products” and field-assembled “systems,” with vastly different compliance schemes, which was unexpected based on the proposed rule, said Jennifer Butsch, regulatory affairs director at Copeland.

“While ‘products’ have a three-year sell through period, ‘systems’ did not have any sell-through provision,” said Butsch. “For those ‘systems’ that are rated and sold as a matched set, such as in residential HVAC, this could risk stranding inventory in the channel unless they can be used as components for service.”

To further clarify the distinction between a product and a system, EPA states that a RACHP product is considered to be functional upon leaving the factory, and examples include window air conditioning units, refrigerators, and stand-alone display cases. On the other hand, a system is assembled and charged in the field using multiple components.

“Products are something that can be plugged in, like a window air conditioning unit or a refrigerator. These have compliance restriction dates that are associated with the fact that they are products,” said Allison Cain, environmental policy analyst at EPA, in a recent GreenChill webinar. “Systems are those that are assembled and charged in the field and would need to be installed by a technician, such as a supermarket direct expansion system with a centralized compressor room.”

Differentiating between self-contained products and field-assembled systems definitely came as a surprise and added a level of complexity, as well as some challenges that the industry wasn’t prepared for, said Butsch.

“Managing installation dates is inherently challenging for all parties through the channel,” she said. “Traditionally this was only required for larger field-erected systems such as chillers, large rooftops, supermarket refrigeration racks, and industrial scale systems. Under the [initial] rule, any connection of the refrigerant loop appeared to trigger the field-assembled provision, throwing unitary split and any refrigeration applications that need field connection of refrigerant circuit — even when pre-charged in the factory — into this category with a compliance date based on installation.”

A silver lining for some in the HVACR industry is that under this rule, a product or a system may be serviced and repaired throughout its useful life, which includes replacing components as needed. Under the rule, components required to repair existing RACHP equipment may continue to be manufactured, imported, sold, distributed, or exported indefinitely.

SERVICE AND REPAIR: Under EPA’s final rule, a product or system may be serviced and repaired throughout its useful life, which includes replacing components as needed. (Staff photo)

“We were pleased to see EPA follow through with their inclusive posture towards the repair of HFC systems and the manufacturing of replacement parts,” said Czarnecki. “This rule was written to let existing systems be used until the end of their useful life, and that is something we appreciate EPA taking into consideration.”

This means for outdoor split air conditioners and heat pumps, EPA would allow the replacement of the outdoor R-410A condensing unit followed by the indoor coil at a later date, essentially allowing these split systems to be partially replaced indefinitely, said Butsch.

“This is different from other regulation such as in California, where if a condensing unit is replaced in a split system, this would necessitate compliance with the requirement to use a <750 GWP refrigerant,” she said. “Customers will be forced to comply with the most restrictive requirement — state or federal.”

Still, the separation of products and systems is a serious issue, said Glenn Haun, general manager of refrigerants at Arkema, and while EPA’s subsequent guidance clarified the definitions, there is confusion as to how this can work in the marketplace.

“It appears that under this rule, components for R-410A system repairs can be produced and installed indefinitely, as well as imported already charged without expending allowances, thereby providing additional supply of HFCs, bypassing the phasedown requirements,” he said.

While many in HVACR are cheering the amended sell-through provision, Alex Ayers, director of government affairs at HARDI, cautioned at the recent HARDI meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, that the industry should not look at this as another year to sell R-410A equipment. “Manufacturers are already planning to transition to low-GWP equipment in 2024, and they do not want to supply R-410A equipment for an extra year,” he said.

Article courtesy of ACHR News: By Joanna R. Turpin
https://www.achrnews.com/articles/153927-epa-extends-sell-through-period-easing-inventory-concerns

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its final rule regarding the transition to low-GWP refrigerants in new refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump (RACHP) systems, and many in the HVACR industry are not happy with parts of the new regulation. The rule addresses subsection (i) of the AIM Act, entitled “Technology Transitions,” which provides EPA with the authority to restrict the use of regulated HFCs in sectors or subsectors where they are used.

This final rule, published October 24, 2023, sets a maximum GWP limit on the HFCs or HFC blends that can be used, and in a few subsectors, EPA has listed specific HFCs or HFC blends that are restricted. Compliance dates and GWP limits vary based on the sector and subsector, but for stationary air conditioning and heat pumps, the final rule calls for a 700 GWP limit for most new comfort cooling equipment, including chillers, starting January 1, 2025. VRF systems would have until January 1, 2026 to comply with the restrictions.

For most new commercial refrigeration systems used in supermarkets and convenience stores, the rule mandates a 150 or 300 GWP limit, with compliance dates ranging from 2026 to 2028, depending on the size of the equipment.

“We did not expect the lack of a sell-through period for essentially any field-charged HFC system.”

- Chris Czarnecki
Director of government relations and advocacy
ACCA

Sell-Through Saga

For new RACHP systems, many in the industry were expecting the rule to include a sell-through period of at least a year for most types of equipment, so that distributors and contractors would not be left with inventory that could not be legally installed. Instead, EPA unexpectedly included a “date of install” requirement for some types of equipment, which means complete, new, split-system air conditioners and heat pumps, for example, must now be installed no later than January 1, 2025.

“We did not expect the lack of a sell through-period for essentially any field-charged HFC systems,” said Chris Czarnecki, director of government relations and advocacy at ACCA. “This is because the rule does not provide any discrepancy between the date of installation and date of manufacture for systems charged in the field. Manufacturing is considered ‘complete’ once the system is charged and completely ready to be turned on by the rule's definition.”

Indeed, the rule divided almost all sectors into self-contained “products” and field-assembled “systems,” with vastly different compliance schemes, which was unexpected based on the proposed rule, said Jennifer Butsch, regulatory affairs director at Copeland.

“While ‘products’ have a three-year sell through period, ‘systems’ do not have any sell-through provision,” said Butsch. “For those ‘systems’ that are rated and sold as a matched set, such as in residential HVAC, this could risk stranding inventory in the channel unless they can be used as components for service.”

To further clarify the distinction between a product and a system, EPA states that a RACHP product is considered to be functional upon leaving the factory, and examples include window air conditioning units, refrigerators, and stand-alone display cases. On the other hand, a system is assembled and charged in the field using multiple components.

“Products are something that can be plugged in, like a window air conditioning unit or a refrigerator. These have compliance restriction dates that are associated with the fact that they are products,” said Allison Cain, environmental policy analyst at EPA, in a recent GreenChill webinar. “Systems are those that are assembled and charged in the field and would need to be installed by a technician, such as a supermarket direct expansion system with a centralized compressor room.”

Differentiating between self-contained products and field-assembled systems definitely came as a surprise and added a level of complexity, as well as some challenges that the industry wasn’t prepared for, said Butsch.

“Managing installation dates is inherently challenging for all parties through the channel,” she said. “Traditionally this was only required for larger field-erected systems such as chillers, large rooftops, supermarket refrigeration racks, and industrial scale systems. Under this rule, any connection of the refrigerant loop appears to trigger the field-assembled provision, throwing unitary split and any refrigeration applications that need field connection of refrigerant circuit — even when pre-charged in the factory — into this category with a compliance date based on installation.”

Legacy Systems

A silver lining for some in the HVACR industry is that under this rule, a product or a system may be serviced and repaired throughout its useful life, which includes replacing components as needed. As it stands now, components required to repair existing RACHP equipment may continue to be manufactured, imported, sold, distributed, or exported indefinitely.

SERVICE AND REPAIR: Under EPA’s final rule, a product or system may be serviced and repaired throughout its useful life, which includes replacing components as needed. (Staff photo)

“We were pleased to see EPA follow through with their inclusive posture towards the repair of HFC systems and the manufacturing of replacement parts,” said Czarnecki. “This rule was written to let existing systems be used until the end of their useful life, and that is something we appreciate EPA taking into consideration.”

This means for outdoor split air conditioners and heat pumps, EPA would allow the replacement of the outdoor R-410A condensing unit followed by the indoor coil at a later date, essentially allowing these split systems to be partially replaced indefinitely, said Butsch.

“This is different from other regulation such as in California, where if a condensing unit is replaced in a split system, this would necessitate compliance with the requirement to use a <750 GWP refrigerant,” she said. “Customers will be forced to comply with the most restrictive requirement — state or federal.”

Still, the separation of products and systems is a serious issue, said Glenn Haun, general manager of refrigerants at Arkema, and while EPA’s subsequent guidance clarified the definitions, there is confusion as to how this can work in the marketplace.

“It appears that under this rule, components for R-410A system repairs can be produced and installed indefinitely, as well as imported already charged without expending allowances, thereby providing additional supply of HFCs, bypassing the phasedown requirements,” he said. “Many of our customers, wholesalers, and distributors are very concerned that if a reasonable sell-through period does not apply to installation of systems, it will create large quantities of stranded equipment, and the industry will not be ready to comply. We understand that EPA is aware of this issue and plans to resolve it.”

Possible Changes Ahead

How EPA plans to resolve this issue was still up in the air at the time this article was written, but at the recent HARDI Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, Alex Ayers, director of government affairs at HARDI, said that some relief may be coming. He noted that in a recent letter, EPA acknowledged that stranded inventory may be an issue with the January 1, 2025 installation date mandated in the final rule.

“They gave us some language that says they are potentially looking at moving the installation date from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026,” said Ayers. “‘Potentially’ has a lot of implication, but overall we consider this letter to be good news. It's just a question of how good it's going to be. To me, the No. 1 thing is that it gives the supply chain time to eliminate stranded inventory.”

Ayers cautioned that the industry should not look at this as another year to sell R-410A equipment, as manufacturers are already planning to transition to low-GWP equipment in 2024. Manufacturers do not want to supply R-410A equipment for an extra year, he added, and it’s also very likely there would be a limitation on when these systems can be manufactured and installed at a later date.

“I believe the most likely scenario is that EPA delays the installation deadline for one year for residential and light commercial air conditioners and heat pumps that use high-GWP refrigerants such as R-410A until January 1, 2026 — as long as that system was manufactured prior to January 1, 2025,” said Ayers. “VRF and VRV may be similar, but because they already have an extra year, EPA hasn't been quite as forthcoming in saying they will give them until 2027. What they have said is that they're going to do something — it's just less of an indication of what that relief is exactly going to be.”

https://www.achrnews.com/articles/153927-hvacr-industry-not-happy-with-epa-sell-through-provisions

As mandated by the AIM Act, the commercial refrigeration industry is transitioning away from high-GWP refrigerants, such as R-404A and R-134a, to low-GWP alternatives, such as CO2 (R-744) and propane (R-290). A2L refrigerants will also soon be part of the mix, thanks to Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposed Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Rule 26, which would allow the use of some of these mildly flammable alternatives in certain kinds of new refrigeration equipment.

Manufacturers have been gearing up for this transition to low-GWP refrigerants for a number of years and are now introducing an extensive range of innovative commercial refrigeration technologies. This wave of innovation is poised to help refrigeration contractors guide their food retailer clients to choose the optimal low-GWP solution — one that meets their specific needs as well as complies with the regulatory requirements.

New Solutions

In Heatcraft’s transition to low-GWP equipment, the emphasis is on enhancing the performance, application robustness, reliability, and quality of new commercial refrigeration solutions, while keeping costs as low as possible, said David Bolaños, head of product management at Heatcraft Refrigeration Products. And because equipment using these new refrigerants can be more complex, the company is designing systems that simplify the application, installation, and service of these new units.

“Controls and control algorithms, including those for defrost, are being updated to make sure that when a refrigerant is chosen, the system will operate properly without any more effort or attention than has been historically required of installers and servicers,” said Bolaños. “Technology advancements are also being employed to sense refrigerant leaks and execute mitigation actions as required by new safety standards for flammable refrigerants.”

At Danfoss, a wide range of products are available today to address systems designed around natural refrigerants with zero or very low GWP, as well as HFO-A2L refrigerants with low GWP, such as R-454A, R-454B, R-454C, R-455A, and others, said Christopher Gangemi, regional segment marketing manager of refrigeration solutions at Danfoss.

“These products range from mechanical and electrical controls that are compatible with both flammable and nonflammable refrigerants, compressors, heat exchangers, and sensors,” he said. “The sensors include leak detectors for CO₂ and the flammable refrigerants that are going to be required on some refrigeration equipment. Semi-hermetic compressors for both CO₂ and HFO-A2L refrigerants are the latest addition to the Danfoss lineup after the acquisition of BOCK earlier this year.”

For over a decade, Copeland has been advancing technologies suitable for lower-GWP refrigerants, beginning with compression platforms optimized for CO2 and R-290, said Kurt Knapke, vice-president solution strategy at Copeland. He noted that recent regulatory changes have also paved the way for lower-flammability A2L refrigerants and larger charges of R-290 in specific commercial refrigeration end uses.

“In anticipation of the imminent approval of these lower-GWP alternatives, Copeland has been optimizing our compressor platforms to meet market demand,” he said. “Copeland continues to lead in the development of state-of-the-art, fully integrated CO2 compression, system, and case system controls technologies, as well as essential high-pressure valves and components. Our commitment to innovation has resulted in improvements in reliability, performance, and energy efficiency — while simplifying the application of CO2 in commercial refrigeration.”

Copeland currently offers subcritical CO2 scroll compressors, transcritical CO2 semi-hermetic compressors, and subcritical CO2 semi-hermetic compressors. The CO2 transcritical and subcritical semi-hermetic compressors are equipped with on-board electronics to enable communication with the E3 supervisory control, designed specifically for CO2 systems, said Knapke. In addition, the company offers scroll compressors, hermetic reciprocating compressors, condensing units, drives, and electronic componentry rated for use with R-290. Copeland is also expanding its high-horsepower, R-290, scroll platform from .75 to 4 HP, supporting charges up to 500 grams.

Finally, Copeland scroll, semi-hermetic, hermetic reciprocating, and condensing unit platforms are being optimized for use with R-455A (146 GWP), R-454C (148 GWP), and R-454A (238 GWP).

“We’re integrating our leading-edge compression technologies, leak detection sensors, and E3 supervisory control platform to create next-generation solutions designed to maximize A2L application safety and refrigeration reliability,” said Knapke. “Copeland is also optimizing its variable-speed compression technologies for use with lower-GWP refrigerant alternatives, such as CO2, R-290, and A2Ls.”

Zero Zone manufactures refrigerated display cases, as well as commercial and industrial refrigeration systems, that cover a wide range of applications utilizing low-GWP refrigerants. For example, their Genesys Natural Refrigeration Solutions, CO2 (R-744), and ammonia (R-717) systems, not only meet regulatory demands, but present the end user with unique options to seamlessly fit their business needs and sustainability goals, said Jason Harren, industrial sales manager-Central at Zero Zone.

DAUNTING TASK: Making a mechanical change from HFCs to low-GWP alternatives can be a daunting task for food retailers. (Courtesy of Zero Zone)

“The Genesys product line presents a complete solution — a package system ready to install and commission,” he said. “Keeping service in mind, Zero Zone is currently designing systems that are better for service, while offering support and training to technicians and customers transitioning to the use of low-GWP refrigerants. Our reputation is built on over 60 years of innovation, quality, and responsiveness, and we intend to continue down the path as the world transitions to low-GWP refrigerants.”

“Overall, leak detection can help mitigate the potential of a refrigeration system running inefficiently, reduce service costs, and eliminate food loss.”

- Christopher Gangemi
Regional segment marketing manager of refrigeration solutions
Danfoss

Making the Change

That said, making a mechanical change from HFCs to low-GWP alternatives can be a daunting task for food retailers — especially because each of the alternatives has different cost impacts, whether upfront or in the future, said Harren.

“One major factor that food retailers need to consider is the energy efficiency and operating costs of some of the alternatives,” he said. “In addition, store owners will have to consider whether there are local contractors who can service the new equipment, as well as the status of local codes and service part availability. These factors could drive owners to repair rather than replace their equipment, but the decision cannot be made without weighing all options.”

Gangemi agrees that food retailers must look at first cost, budgets, and availability of properly trained technicians when considering low-GWP systems. Regardless of the choice made, any existing HFC equipment and systems will need to be decommissioned and replaced by new equipment designed specifically for the low-GWP refrigerants, he said. That’s because there is not a drop-in, low-GWP replacement refrigerant available today for existing equipment. However, new low-GWP systems will benefit end users in several ways.

“For food retailers with a facility management program, leak detection technologies can provide early detection of leaks as they emerge and allow for appropriate actions to be taken to prevent the leak from spreading too far,” said Gangemi. “Overall, leak detection can help mitigate the potential of a refrigeration system running inefficiently, reduce service costs, and eliminate food loss.”

The advancement of low-GWP technologies will also provide opportunities for food retailers to achieve energy-efficiency, performance, and sustainability improvements, said Knapke. For example, he noted that Copeland variable-speed compression technology can modulate capacity from 25% to 180% and deliver 20% to 30% energy-efficiency gains over their fixed-speed counterparts.

“From a refrigeration performance perspective, this enables precise load matching, tighter temperature control, and improved food quality and safety,” he said. “When compared to fixed-speed compression, our lab testing shows that variable-speed technology reduces compressor cycling by 90% — eliminating excessive compressor wear and tear, lowering maintenance costs, and extending equipment lifecycles.”

Knapke added that food retailers are also maximizing the sustainability potential of CO2 by deploying heat reclamation strategies in their facilities for a variety of purposes, such as HVAC, hot water, and concrete slab heating.

Contractors can help their food retail customers make the right choice of low-GWP equipment by having a full understanding of the refrigerants and regulatory landscape, said Bolaños. This includes understanding the latest updates to facilitate an effective, comprehensive discussion with customers to make sure they are clear on the options available, what the advantages and disadvantages are for each, and how to best think through selecting the right refrigerant and technologies for today, tomorrow, and the foreseeable future.

“In addition, lean on a company like Heatcraft to whatever extent you need, whether it is simply for a quick update or in-depth scenario reviews where it may even make sense for us to join in the conversation,” he added. “And be sure you fully consider federal, state, and municipal regulations, codes and standards to avoid any surprises.”

Contractors and technicians should also be fully trained on how to work with the alternative refrigerants, as safety is the top priority, said Bolaños. “Whether working with the mildly flammable A2Ls, the quite flammable A3s like propane, or the higher pressures of CO2, all of us must be experts in handling refrigerants and installing, servicing, repairing, and maintaining equipment.”

SAFETY FIRST: Contractors and technicians should be fully trained on how to work with alternative refrigerants, as safety is the top priority. (Courtesy of Heatcraft)

Future Technologies

Looking toward future advancements, Copeland anticipates that lower-GWP systems will take the lead as the primary technologies in the commercial refrigeration sector. In making this refrigerant transition, said Knapke, it is likely that manufacturers will conduct evaluations for full-system improvements, which could include energy-efficient, variable-speed compression technologies, which have been underutilized in commercial refrigeration.

“Connected technologies that leverage the internet of things (IoT) will also likely become more commonplace — simplifying system complexities, automating performance management, and opening opportunities for grid interactivity and load shedding,” said Knapke.

Danfoss also believes that IoT connectivity, along with cloud technologies, remote monitoring, and artificial intelligence are trends that will change the industry, said Gangemi. He noted that these technologies are expected to lend to better equipment performance, faster responsiveness to failures, and predictive maintenance.

“Capturing and reusing heat created as a byproduct of refrigeration systems is a trend that is also expected to grow,” he said. “Heat recovery units that capture this heat can be deployed and then used to heat water and space heating needs.”

As the industry continues to develop new and improved energy-efficient technologies — especially for CO2 — Harren expects to see advancements in parallel compression, adiabatic gas coolers, ejectors, and pressure exchangers. “Zero Zone is also exploring alternative low-GWP solutions utilizing propane units that offer more of a plug-and-play approach,” he said.

Heatcraft believes that the increased popularity of CO2 and propane will likely come about as regulations tighten and standards start allowing larger charge amounts of flammable refrigerants.

“Consider the possibility of CO2 becoming the norm, particularly in food retail, in the coming five to 10 years,” said Bolaños. “Nobody has a crystal ball, but watch for developments in federal and state laws and regulations that provide compelling indicators one way or the other.”

 

Contractors Are Key In Refrigerant Transition

When it comes to helping food retailers manage their existing refrigeration systems, as well as choose new low-GWP systems, Kurt Knapke, vice-president solution strategy at Copeland, has the following advice:

Contractors need to be prepared to help their retail customers evaluate their end-of-life equipment strategies and prioritize which systems need to be replaced or remodeled first. For legacy systems that will be in operation for many years to come, contractors will need to make sure to follow refrigerant management best practices. This starts by making the most of their existing HFC supplies by properly recovering and reclaiming refrigerant when working on legacy systems. In addition, it will require making sure that proper leak detection devices are installed on legacy equipment to minimize leaks, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and ensure peak system performance. Contractors play an integral part in helping to lower the food Retailer Scope 1 emission by finding and eliminating refrigerant leaks.

Contractors will also need to help their retail customers decide whether to repair their existing systems or replace them with new, lower-GWP systems. Lower system charges are driving the move away from large, centralized architectures toward more distributed systems. As a result, contractors and system designers may begin the transition by looking for underperforming sections of existing systems and gradually replacing them with a new, lower-GWP system, such as an A2L remote condensing unit. If a complete store remodel is in order, then a CO2 transcritical booster system may serve as a full-system replacement. Standalone R-290 units will continue to provide flexibility in retailers’ refrigeration portfolios, with the prospect of larger charges supporting even higher-capacity units.

What is important to note is that unlike legacy refrigeration technologies, there is no one-size-fits-all architecture for the next generation of food retail refrigeration. Although retailers will need to balance all factors in the decision-making process when selecting their next-generation system replacements or remodels, total cost of ownership is not always the deciding factor. Sustainability initiatives and operational preferences must be considered for the long term.

November 21, 2023 - By Joanna R. Turpin, ACHR News 
Innovative Technologies In Low-GWP Refrigeration Systems | ACHR News